Learn about what they do and where to find them

Dietary fibre is part of the food that our bodies are unable to metabolise during digestion. Only a very small part of it is absorbed.

That’s why, for many years, fibre was not considered a nutrient. That was until the experts recognised how essential it is to our bodies and the problems that occur when we don’t get enough.

What are the health benefits of fibre?

• It helps to eliminate bad cholesterol (LDL).
• It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• It is filling and therefore helps regulate appetite for weight control.
• It stabilises blood glucose levels.
• It prevents constipation, haemorrhoids and diverticulitis.
• It prevents the appearance of some types of cancer, such as colon cancer.

Fibre is a complex carbohydrate, which can be divided into two types:

1. Soluble fibre
2. Insoluble fibre

-Soluble fibre is able to absorb water and form gels with a viscous consistency. The stomach stays fuller for longer, which means that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly, thus preventing peaks in glucose levels. It keeps the intestine moving.

You’ll find soluble fibre in cereals such as oats or oat bran and barley and in pulses like peas and beans. Fruits such as oranges, lemons, nectarines, apples, grapefruit, medlars, strawberries and raspberries. Vegetables such as carrots, cabbages, peppers, beetroot, asparagus, aubergines, pumpkin and tomatoes and seeds, such as flax.

-Insoluble fibre retains little water and barely swells. This enables it to cleanse the intestinal wall and helps to eliminate waste and toxins. It also keeps the intestine moving. Insoluble fibre controls the acid balance in the intestine, helping to eliminate cholesterol and reduce the risk of suffering from colon cancer.

You’ll find insoluble fibre in the outer part of seeds and grains. It is plentiful in whole-grain cereals and their derivatives, wheat bran, corn, apple and pear skins, grapes, raisins, nuts, lettuce, spinach and cabbage.

Adults need around 25 grams of dietary fibre every day. This is easy to achieve with a balanced, varied diet. A simple serving of peas will give you around 13 grams, and a pear contains more than 4 grams.

Remember that if you increase your intake of fibre you must also make sure that you get enough fluids.

This post is also available in: Spanish